Ask HN: How do you survive in this tech market? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How do you survive in this tech market?

10 pointsliamvisionary6 comments

You know, many of my friends commend me for my positivity. I'm the guy who always wears a smile, remains optimistic, and never gives up in the face of adversity. However, lately, I've felt that hope waning. I've been unemployed for four months, sending out hundreds of applications and securing only two interviews. Currently, I'm living on credit to make ends meet, as I have no income.

Previously, I never anticipated difficulties in finding work due to the state of the tech market. I freelanced remotely for two clients, earning comfortable pay, and had ample work. I found myself declining job offers, contracts, and recruiters routinely. I even turned down a CTO position and several lucrative contracts. Dozens of recruiters reached out to me weekly, and I declined them.

I believed I would always have work, even if my current projects ended. I was terribly wrong. After three months without a single interview, I returned to my home base in NYC—the land of opportunity within the land of opportunity. In the last month, I've attended 20 tech meetups. I realized it wasn't just me struggling.

At every meetup, I met incredible, intelligent developers, some even laid off from FAANG companies, who were also unable to find work. While it was somewhat comforting to know I wasn't alone, the fierce competition for dev roles also disheartened me.

Now, I'm down to my last month of credit. If I don't secure a job this month, I have no idea how to proceed. With a decade of experience in building web, software, and games, I have limited professional experience outside these professions. I'm contemplating returning to food service to survive, even though it feels like a regression after working so hard to move beyond it.

The market is incredibly competitive, and my hope is diminishing. I'm not sure what I aim to achieve with this post, but if anyone has any much needed guidance, it would mean so much to me.

Sincerely, Liam.

Hi Liam,

I'm genuinely sorry to hear about the challenges you're facing. Your resilience and positivity shine through your words, but it's understandable to feel disheartened given the circumstances. Your journey resonates with many in today's job market, and you've articulated it eloquently.

As someone who specializes in crafting resumes that land interviews and offering guidance and strategies to job seekers, I can understand your frustrations. It's disheartening to hear about your struggle despite your extensive experience in web, software, and game development. Your willingness to consider various options, including returning to food service, showcases your determination to persevere.

I want to extend my support to you during this challenging time. While setbacks can feel overwhelming, know that strategies and resources are available to help you navigate them. Whether I can write or optimize your resume, provide job search tips, or offer guidance on navigating the competitive job market, I'm here to assist you in any way I can.

Remember, setbacks are temporary, and your resilience will see you through. Please feel free to reach out if you'd like to discuss this further or if there's anything specific I can assist you with.

Warm regards, Sally

Thanks Sally, I’ll reach out

Sure! Happy to review your resume and give you pointers.

I've been a contractor since 2014 (and started work in 2002) so have to apply for new jobs every 3 to 6 months. A trend I've spotted is that companies sometimes start hiring in the new financial year, so I'm crossing fingers that you'll see some movement in April.

I saw this earlier this week: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7174198... The sad state of affairs is that folks are now taking a shotgun approach using scripts, and completely overwhelming recruiters and hiring managers. Sure, they have ATSs in place that does the filtering, but once a job is posted, they almost instantaneously get 50+ CVs and chances are they find a good few matches they can bubble up the chain, then forget about the rest (i.e. you and me, who lovingly hand-craft cover letters, and then become applicant number 404) I mean, how often have you heard "sorry, this role's been filled now", when they do bother to reply.

During the quiet times, I continue working on my side projects. Search the web for "indie hackers". I'm slowly but surely working on a few things which will generate enough MRR to sustain me. There's nothing worse (as you now know) than walking into the desert, and your only flask of water is slowly depleting. I used to have a desktop wallpaper showing a digital nomad working on the beach, as an aspiration to what to work towards (kids and family life has since happened), but a more powerful motivation is avoiding poverty and being in control of your time. Contracting only earns when you work. Product can earn while you sleep.

(Another thing I saw earlier this week was a video on YT about this school teacher who now makes £50 PER DAY in dividend income, after starting investing into dividend-yielding stocks since 2009. Similar vibe, I guess. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2m5x-vGqcE)

So, those are the 3 take-aways:

- April might be better

- maybe start using tools for your job search

- during the good times, maybe look into working on a product in your spare time

Best of luck!

What a lovely crafted response. Thanks Opyate. I can now be a bit more hopeful during April.

I also saw that same LinkedIn post, and looks like I might have to do the same, because at this rate it’s feeling like life or death, and if you can’t beat em, join em. Right?

I do have a side project I’ve been considering monetizing, but it still requires a few months of work which I simply can’t afford right now. But you’re right, should definitely work on it in the good times.

Thanks for the thoughtful response.

Yes, timing is critical, especially post-2020 when remote jobs have increased, and a single job posting that would typically receive 500+ applications now receives 1000+ applications in a day! As a writer specializing in different content forms, including resume writing, I can tell you that there is a "science meets art" approach to resumes, but it is mostly science now. I speak with job applicants every day: if you are not getting interviews, it's not your fault; it's your resume. Most people will spend hours updating their resume to look eye-catching, adding their impressive accomplishments (rightfully so), etc. Unfortunately, it still does not meet the criteria needed to pass through the ATS to get to the top of the pile and on the recruiter's desk. Most people are used to constructing resumes the way they were done when recruiters reviewed them manually (that's when the artistic-looking resume caught their attention before they read it) - it's an entirely different game now with a machine.

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